Senate confirms Lisa Jackson as EPA adminstrator

WASHINGTON - A temporary stumbling block disappeared early Friday, allowing for quick Senate confirmation of New Jersey's Lisa Jackson as head of the Environmental Protection Agency.

A Princeton University-educated chemical engineer, Jackson, 46, is the first African-American to lead the EPA -- an agency with 17,000 employees and a $7 billion budget. She is the former head of New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection.

Jackson joins former Gov. Christie Whitman, who was chosen in 2000 by George W. Bush, as New Jerseyans who left prominent Statehouse posts to lead the EPA.

"The American people have gained a tireless public servant and a tenacious guardian of the environment with the confirmation of Lisa Jackson as our nation's EPA administrator," Gov. Jon Corzine said Friday. "During her tenure as commissioner of New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection, Lisa set the highest professional standards in tackling issues both local and global in scope."

Lauren Victoria Burke/The Associated PressLisa Jackson, center, flanked by Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair-designate Nancy Sutley, during Jackson's Senate confirmation hearing. The Senate on Friday approved Jackson as head of the Environmental Protection Agency.

She served two weeks as Corzine's chief of staff before Obama named her last month.

"Lisa's counsel and expertise will be missed in New Jersey, but we are proud to share with the nation her vision for a cleaner, sustainable environment," Corzine said.

The confirmation by the Senate also drew praise from Assembly Enivronment Committee chair John McKeon (D-Essex).

"Lisa's passion for the environment and pragmatic approach equips her to effectively advance President Barack Obama's plans for a viable energy economy powered by wind, solar and other renewable energies that would help preserve and protect the environment and generate millions of green jobs," said McKeon.

In an interview with The Star-Ledger during the inaugural festivities this week, Jackson said: "The most important thing right now is to find a way to empower the agency work force again to make them know that they're really important."

Jackson was born in Philadelphia, adopted a few weeks later and raised in Pontchartrain Park, in New Orleans' Ninth Ward. She graduated from St. Mary's Dominican High School and Tulane University, coming to New Jersey to earn a master's degree in chemical and environmental engineering from Princeton.

She worked for two years at Clean Sites Inc., a chemical industry-funded nonprofit that managed environmental cleanups at the start of the Superfund era. That led to a job as a staff engineer in the EPA's Superfund program, followed by a quick rise at the agency. She joined New Jersey's DEP in 2002.

Jackon's nomination was supported by most of the state's environmental groups.

"Lisa Jackson will be a great part of President Obama's green team, she is part of the change that we need," said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. "Lisa Jackson is the right person to bring the EPA back to the forefront of environmental protection and scientific credibility."

Jackson's appointment was cleared after Sen. John Barrasso (R., Wyo.) dropped his objections to her confirmation. Barrasso removed that obstacle after talking with Carol Browner, who will assume a new White House post to coordinate energy and climate-related issues, said Greg Keeley, a spokesman for the senator. Barrasso had been concerned about Browner's role in EPA issues, Keeley said.

Senate leaders had wanted to confirm Jackson unanimously along with half a dozen other nominees hours after Obama became president Tuesday. But Barrasso's objection, orginally made behind the scenes, prevented that.

Keeley said Barrasso wanted clarification on what Browner's role would be on issues involving the EPA and "to know .¤.¤. how she will interact with Ms. Jackson" and whether Jackson would report to Browner or someone else at the White House.

Keeley said the senator, after speaking to both Jackson and Browner, was now "much more comfortable" that Browner -- who does not have to be confirmed -- would be subject to congressional accountability. He did not provide further details.

Barrasso's action never threatened Jackson's confirmation but could have delayed it.